


Keep You With Me...

by orphan_account



Category: Glee
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-29
Updated: 2012-05-29
Packaged: 2017-11-06 05:23:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/415193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She’s said good-bye to everyone.  Literally everyone.  Even Mr. Schue.</p><p>But now she’s riding shotgun beside Sam in Burt’s truck, clutching his hand and trying not to cry.  </p><p>“It’ll be fine.  We’ll skype.  We’ll talk all the time,” Sam says, taking his eyes away from the road for a second to look at her.</p><p>“I know.  I know,” she replies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep You With Me...

**Author's Note:**

> For theblissfulchaos & jules1278 - who are the best and brightest fans a writer could ask for. 
> 
> Also, for Sam & Mercedes. Always.

The pool is calm and serene.  It’s a half-hour before opening and Sam’s readying the ‘Sugar Shack’ with snacks and pop that the little guys will be clamoring for at first break, but right now it’s freaking quiet and he’s enjoying the peace.  It’s not like he doesn’t love his job - jobs his mind corrects thinking about his jumpsuit and oil changes at Burt’s shop - but he loves how quiet it is before the kids get there.  Plus, it gives him time to think.  Not much chance of that at the Hummel-Hudson house with Blaine and Kurt there constantly.  Sam misses Finn though, too.  He’d left for boot camp the week before and there was a space missing at the dinner table and if Carole sighed super loud one more time, Sam thinks his heart might break from it.     
  
He understands that kind of sigh.    
  
It’s missing people who you have no earthly right to deny their happiness or goals but can’t help missing their faces every day in your life.    
  
Yeah, Sam knows all about that.     
  
He mentally ticks off another day in the calendar that’s hanging in his head.  It’s roughly right around six more weeks before Mercedes takes off permanently for Hollywood and her dreams.    
  
Without Sam.    
  
Someone turns on the radio and it’s blaring out Weezer and Sam whistles through his teeth restocking the Skittles.     
  
So yeah, he doesn’t like thinking about what school is gonna be like this next year without her.  Because, God knows, he’s spent enough time without her this past year and that sucked like hell.     
  
And saying goodbye to her now?  Yeah, that’ll suck, too.    
  
But there’s still six weeks to make new memories, more memories, better memories.     
  
He’s got nights at the lake planned - with and without the gang from Glee - and a week back home.  He’s hoping like hell he can talk Mercedes into going with.  There’s nothing he’d love more than introducing her to his mom and dad as his girlfriend again.....finally.     
  
“Sam, you ready to open up?”   
  
“Sure thing, Cam,” and closes the lid on the snickers box, putting it below with the rest of the candy supplies.     
  
He strolls to his lifeguard stand and hops up.  The whistle around his neck bounces against his chest and Sam smiles to himself, thinking.     
  
“Sam Evans, if I blow this whistle will you come and rescue me?  No matter where I’m at?”   
  
“Um, don’t think you get the idea, Mercedes.  I blow this whistle when kids are misbehavin’.”   
  
“I can do that, too, if you want.”   
  
He puts the zinc oxide on his nose that Carole had tucked into his bag, slides on his shades, and begins his shift.     
  
***   
  
Mercedes is watching the hours tick by on the clock, minute by minute.  She’s been filing the past forty-five minutes and busted one nail.  Damn.  Make that two, she thinks, and goes looking for her nail file.     
  
She hates like hell that she has to spend any of her last weeks at home working for her dad.  She loves him, of course she does.  But, she wants to see everyone.     
  
Okay, mostly Sam, she amends.     
  
His crazy laugh and nose wrinkle does things to her insides that she’ll never be able to talk about...not even to Kurt or Tina.  There are some things you just can’t say.     
  
Like how his eyes change color when he’s leaning in close just about ready to kiss her.  Or how his voice gets low and husky when he’s talking in her ear.  Or how safe she always feels when his arms are wrapped around her.     
  
And she knows that California is going to be damned lonely without him.    
  
She’ll make new friends, of course she will, but none of them will be Sam.  None of them will make her laugh when she doesn’t feel like it.  None of them will shove her in the direction she needs to be going when she’s scared or confused.  Seriously, she thinks, the boy doesn’t know the word ‘no’ or ‘can’t’.     
  
Or impossible.     
  
“Alright, Ms. Mercedes.  Reckon I’ve kept you here long enough.”   
  
“Just let me finish up this box, Daddy.  I’m almost done.”   
  
“Mercy, git.  I know you’re chompin’ at the bit to see Sam.”   
  
She grins and carefully puts the lid back on the box.  Grabbing her purse, she kisses her daddy on the cheek, and runs to the door.    
  
“Home before dawn, young lady!”   
  
“Yessir,” she turns, saluting, and hustles to her car.    
  
Six weeks later....   
  
She’s said good-bye to everyone.  Literally everyone.  Even Mr. Schue.   
  
But now she’s riding shotgun beside Sam in Burt’s truck, clutching his hand and trying not to cry.     
  
“It’ll be fine.  We’ll skype.  We’ll talk all the time,” Sam says, taking his eyes away from the road for a second to look at her.   
  
“I know.  I know,” she replies.     
  
He doesn’t know that she stole his football jersey out of his drawer two nights ago and has been sleeping with it.  Because it smells like him.  She wants something that smells like home.  She wants something to take with her that’ll make her brave when she doesn’t feel brave.     
  
“I love you,” he whispers.     
  
“Screw this,” she replies, throwing off her seatbelt and scooting close to him.     
  
He laughs and puts his arm around her.  “If I get pulled over, you’re paying the ticket.”   
  
“It’ll be worth it.”   
  
The road to the airport isn’t long and they’re here before she’s ready.  And then her hand is in his and they’re walking up to the counter.  The airport is small and it doesn’t take long to check her bag.  While she watches the clock, she can feel him watching her face.     
  
_Seven minutes, six minutes, five minutes.... _   
  
And the hands wind around the clock as she clutches his hand again.     
  
Sam turns her around so she’s not watching the minutes till they’ve gotta walk away from one another.  When she starts crying, he grabs her up, holding her close.    
  
“I don’t care what stupid people say about long-distance relationships.  We’re gonna make this work.”   
  
“Sam -” she begins.    
  
“Stop, seriously.  Look at me.”  He eases back and looks down into her brown eyes.  “You wanna do this?  You still wanna be together?”   
  
“I do.  You know I do.”   
  
“Then, we will.  We just will,” he replies.  Taking his sleeves from his hoodie, he pulls tight and uses them to dry Mercedes’ eyes.  “We will.”   
  
Then the man calls to board the flight.   He clutches this time feeling the tears burning up the back of the throat to his eyes.     
  
“I love you,” she says.  “I sure do love you.”   
  
“Good.  Makes it easy for me to love you back.”   
  
She swats him and giggles.  “I gotta go.”   
  
And they hold on right until the very last second, until it’s almost too late, and then she’s gone.     
  
Closing his eyes, Sam smells his hoodie and breathes in.  Grinning, he turns around to walk back to the truck.  His phone vibrates in his pocket and Sam fishes it out.     
  
SMS from Ms. Mercy:  I stole ur jersey.  I love you.  I miss you already.     
  
Grinning, he jogs back to the truck, thinking.  Sam slams the door shut and thumbs out an answer.     
  
SMS to Ms. Mercy:  Fly safe.  Call when u land.  Love u always.   
  
Yeah, they can totally do three-hundred and sixty five days.  He’s lived without her ‘till he was 16 and now that he’s got her, he can do anything.     
  
Tapping his hands on the steering wheel, Sam drives out of the parking lot and towards home.  


End file.
